A surefire way to boost your spirits and count what's really important

books:


	• Attitudes of Gratitude: How to Give and Receive Joy Every Day of Your Life M. J. Ryan Conari Press, 2000 - 208 pages average customer review:based on 10 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

A life changer

A lot has been said about having a "positive attitude," but this is one of the first books I have read that actually shows you how to accomplish this and experience life as a series of every day miracles. I love this book and have given it as a gift several times. A must read.

Not was I was hoping for...

This book looked great from the reviews, so I decided to reserve it at the library to see if I thought it was worth purchasing. I was really excited when it was ready for pick up! I've just sat down with it tonight, however, and I'm really kind of disappointed... keep in mind this is coming from someone who has struggled for more than half her life with depression and anxiety - who has read the books and talked to professionals about problems and life and all that. This book didn't tell me anything I hadn't heard elsewhere.

To me this book seemed like a whole lot of "You should be grateful for simple things..." as opposed to, "This is how you can be grateful for simple things." I, personally, don't need someone telling me a list of things to be grateful for... I need someone to tell me *why* to be grateful for them... in a manner that is actually passionate and compelling. Why is life such a wonderful gift, why should I be moved by a rainbow, or a flower, etc.

The book is broken down into 5 "chapters", all filled with short 2 or 3 page stories. In one of the parts towards the beginning, the author talks about how worry, stress, etc., are bad for us... while gratitude and joy are good. It's not worded exactly like that, obviously, but that is the basic premise, and it's something I think just about everyone knows already. Not much is said about how you can go about getting rid of that worry and stress, though. Well, actually, there is... we can get rid of it by being grateful, but nothing seems to tell you how to do *that*.

In chapter 4, the stories start offering some suggestions. Most of them involve thinking of things you're thankful for... or thinking of ways you can improve your life to get things you want (not in a material but an emotional fashion). I didn't read anything about how to actually go about getting into the mindset of *being* thankful, or how to actually take the steps to *make* the improvements to your life.

Reading this book reminded me so much of the "Just do it" attitude I run into everywhere. In many cases, a great affirmation... but sometimes it isn't that easy. Be grateful... for life, simple things, etc. It reminds me of how people often tell you to "stop it" when they hear you are anxious or depressed. It isn't a light switch that everyone can flip on or off at will. The author DOES know this, and acknowledges that you have to work at gratitude... but I am not one of those people who is helped much by self reinforced positive affirmations on a day to day basis. That seems to be the method this book suggests.

Perhaps, if you're normally a happy person who has hit a rough spot... or if you're a person who can change easily... this book will help you. For anyone who has problems changing and needs really sound suggestions and things to practice that will do the job, I don't think I'd suggest this book. That's not to say this book is bad, I just find it average in the "help" it offers. If I judge it only among self-help books, I would say it is above average, because it's much easier and more fun to read.

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So worried of what is to come of this Title

I have personal knowledge that a convicted Rapist, Attempted Murderer is going to be selling a DVD called.....Attitude to Gratitude. Very concerned this will be mixed up with you beautiful BOOKS!

A surefire way to boost your spirits and count what's really important

I have several autoimmune disorders. Unfortunately, chronic depression both runs in my family and is a symptom of one of my disorders, so I've struggled with depression on and off throughout my life. I do not, however, receive medication for my depression; instead, I manage it through exercise, a support group of family and friends, and positive thinking.

One of my tools is Attitudes of Gratitude by M.J. Ryan. It's a smallish book that focuses on keeping a gratitude journal; it's been medically proven that people who regularly count their blessings are less likely to be depressed.

Written in 1994, Attitudes of Gratitude is a sequel to the author's A Grateful Heart: Daily Blessings for the Evening Meal from Buddha to the Beatles. Each of the sixty chapters is a meditation on gratitude and practical ways to practice and maintain thankfulness in our daily lives. The author recommends only reading one chapter a day in order to let the stories and messages sink in. According to Ryan, since gratitude is an attitude as well as a practice, we should take enough time to integrate her learnings so we can truly possess them.

Each of the individual chapters is opened by a quote on gratitude, and feature stories of various individuals who've overcome devastating medical diagnoses and divorces, personal obstacles, or other barriers to happiness. The readings are very brief (a page or two at most), so you have no reason not to be able to work one into a hectic day. Ideally, with practice you'll be able to take five or ten minutes for yourself to make a list of everything you're grateful for, from chocolate to loved ones to sunsets.

If the sound of all of this is making you uncomfortable with touchy-feely New Age overtones, the book is written in a friendly and accessible manner. It is spiritual rather than religious; there are no cutesy angels or cloying illustrations of puppies and kittens. In fact, there are no illustrations to allow you a clear view of the idea of recognizing and expressing gratitude.

This is a priceless gift for someone who is facing a rough spot, whether it's a recent medical diagnosis, a death in the family, or any event that temporarily robs someone of hope or joy. Attitudes of Gratitude showed me the power of positive thinking and expressing gratitude for what I DO have as opposed to what I think I'm missing or being deprived of, and has helped me to focus on the things I enjoy rather than what I'm not able to do or what I don't own.

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A Grateful Reader

This is a "must read" for all of us to keep our lives balanced with the blessings we have today.

reviews: page 1, 2

M. J. Ryan teaches readers how to unlock the fullness of life through the expression of a grateful heart. In a series of brief, evocative essays, she inspires readers to discover a sense of gratitude in every aspect of life and offers them ways to focus on what they have, rather than on what they lack.

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